Economists are forecasting that AI is likely to cause prices to rise over the course of the next year. On Thursday, both Microsoft and Apple said they’re raising prices some of their flagship products thanks to skyrocketing memory and storage costs. But AI could end up making a whole lot of things cheaper — eventually. Also in this episode: how one union negotiated huge savings on healthcare prices, a look at the garage sale culture in Alaska, and the return of the restaurant matchbook.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

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The AI inflation roller coaster

Inflation was up 4.1% in May, according to the BEA’s personal consumption expenditures index. We know hot energy prices, resulting from the war in Iran, were part of that spike. But cut out energy and food, and inflation still hit a three-year high, at 3.4%. So what else is driving the increase? Also in this episode: Q1 GDP is revised up, Wyoming navigates the consequences of property tax cuts, and Great Lakes cargo ships make up a vital branch of U.S. supply chains.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories from today’s episode:It's not just food and energy — "core" inflation is up as wellGDP grew 2.1% in the first quarter of 2026. What does that tell us?What do we need property taxes for? Wyoming is finding outNeed a burger? A car? Winter road salt? Thank cargo ships on the Great LakesGen Z trades in date-flation for "solo-maxxing"

Inflation sped up in May. What's to blame?

When the U.S. launched a war against Iran, some Wall Street traders bet the ensuing energy shortages would push inflation up. Now that a ceasefire has brought down gas prices, the narrative has shifted: What if cheaper gas fires up the economy too much? In this episode, the markets are betting on inflation, whichever way you slice it. Plus: Prospective buyers struggle to secure mortgages on homes worth less than $100,000, local getaways anticipate healthy summer vacation demand, and direct-to-consumer brands reframe their environmental commitments.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories in today’s episode: Whether oil prices are high or low, Wall Street is betting on inflationThe housing bill that might make small mortgages easierWith summer travelers facing higher costs, local vacation spots are thrivingWhy one direct-to-consumer brand is shifting its messagingBeekeeper turned business owner is growing into newer, bigger spaces

High inflation or ... high inflation?

A typical starter home in nearly 250 U.S. cities is now worth $1 million or more, according to Zillow. Is that even a starter home anymore? In this episode, how rapid housing inflation has changed the game for first-time homebuyers and why more Americans are opting for a starter home in the suburbs. Plus: Manufacturing data reflects strong sector growth, U.S. trading partners bear the economic brunt of Trump’s war with Iran, and the 1973 oil crisis provides lessons for dealing with chaotic fuel costs today.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories from today’s episode:A key index shows the U.S. economy is expanding. Elsewhere, not so muchStrong manufacturing numbers mask a sector hedging against war and tariff uncertaintyFor this London honey seller, Brexit has been "a chaotic 10 years"When the "starter home" price tag hits $1 millionWhat can the oil crisis of 1973 teach us about today?A fixer-upper became a forever home for this Massachusetts couple

A "starter" home for $1 million?

The last time Austan Goolsbee voted in an FOMC meeting, he was one of two policymakers opposed to cutting interest rates. Six months later, he doesn’t regret that dissent. In this episode, Kai catches up with the Chicago Fed president to discuss the central bank’s communication style, persistent inflation concerns, and former Fed Chair Alan Greenspan’s legacy. Plus: Beef prices are likely to keep climbing this year, it could take months to rebuild depleted oil reserves, and economists make a case that AI could drive more inflation.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories from today’s episode:Chicago Fed President: Inflation is "well above the target and has been going the wrong way"As the oil crisis eases, the global scramble to replenish reserves beginsWhy beef prices keep climbingMany economists believe that AI will lead to more inflation. Why?How We Survive: A Carbon Burial at Sea

Inflation is moving the wrong way

As high interest rates tamp down homebuying demand, more homebuilders are offering free appliances or upgraded hardware to sweeten the deal. Throwing in a free dishwasher is one thing, but how are they able to offer lower mortgage interest rates? In this episode, we check on the homebuilding sector. Plus: Hotel housekeepers say AI-driven app makes work more difficult, scientists design sunshades built for space, and a “talking book” nonprofit brings news and books to blind people.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read the stories from today’s episode:Builders offer incentives to attract homebuyers as high interest rates persistNebraska nonprofit brings local news and opportunities to blind and low-vision listenersMore stress, fewer breaks: Hotel housekeepers reveal what it’s like working for an appA climate change solution from science fiction

What's with the uptick in homebuilder incentives?

Kevin Warsh held his first press conference as Fed chair on Wednesday, and — unlike his precedessor — did not say what the central bank plans to do next. Despite his tight lips, markets read between the lines and predict a rate hike is coming soon. In this episode, why Warsh is rewriting the Fed’s communication style, and how it could alter the economy. Plus: Jobless claims tick down a bit, GPS shapes global infrastructure, and RV owners struggle to sell their vintage digs.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.Read today’s stories:Unemployment is still low, but so is hiringFed Chair Kevin Warsh is trying to keep his options open. Investors are parsing his words anywayGPS is a pillar of the global economy, and it's also pretty vulnerableUsed RV sales are up, but many large, older rigs are sitting on lots for months

Warsh wants to keep markets guessing. Will it work?

Retail sales were up 0.9% in May, which is a generally positive economic sign. But it doesn’t square with our reality, in which price inflation outpaces wage growth. That is, until you look at that pesky personal savings rate. In this episode, YOLO consumers in a grim economy. Plus: Fed Chair Warsh holds rates steady, the rate of new households is falling, and what would happen if the U.S. lost its global reserve currency status.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

When the going gets tough, just keep spending

Nvidia just joined the likes of Amazon and Alphabet in selling off billions of dollars in bonds. What do these tech giants need help financing? Data centers, of course, to support the buildout of artificial intelligence infrastructure. For now, the cash is flowing, but when will these firms need to show some returns on those investments? Also in this episode: Commercial solar energy projects approach a deadline for federal tax credits, Fox enters the streaming wars by acquiring Roku, and Kai breaks down the history of post-FOMC press conferences.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

AI corporate bonds are booming

Nuclear energy can lower one cost that has seen rapid inflation in recent years: electricity bills. But nuclear power plants aren’t cheap to build. In one state, legislators wade into a debate over whether taxpayers or utility companies should shoulder the burden. Also in this episode: Kevin Warsh faces war-driven inflation ahead of his first FOMC meeting as Fed chair, MAHA movement drives up cotton demand, and advertisers leverage the World Cup to reach Latino consumers.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Nuclear power payment plan

Today, we’re featuring an episode from the new season of “How We Survive.” Could dimming the sun be the key to cooling things down before the climate crisis worsens? Some scientists say yes, that we can cool the earth by launching tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. It’s a type of solar geoengineering that was once seen as preposterous, meant to exist only in the pages of a sci-fi novel. But now, it’s a reality. To find out for ourselves, we travel to Northern California where two entrepreneurs are launching sulfur-filled balloons from the top of stacked shipping containers. Later, we talk with scientists on both sides of this issue to find out if solar geoengineering could help prevent catastrophic tipping points or introduce a whole new slew of cascading consequences. 

From "How We Survive": How to Dim the Sun

SpaceX went public Friday, with much pomp and circumstance. Investors are already buying and selling the company’s stock — well, some investors. Employees, early investors, and Elon Musk all held SpaceX stock pre-IPO. Now, the company will supervise when and how they can sell it off. In this episode, we explain why. Plus: An unlikely city tops list of best metro areas for recent college grads, an AI chatbot helps one reporter sell his house, and we break down the week’s economic headlines.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

The SpaceX share lock-up period, explained

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but all three economists we asked say gas prices are due for another hike this summer. The war in Iran continues to drain oil reserves in the U.S. and abroad, and eventually prices will have to match growing supply-demand tension. (Yes, that’s even if the war ends today.) Also in this episode: Bond investors expect inflation to stick around for a while, a trio of upcoming IPOs will barely put a dent in total market cap, and Kansas City short-term rental demand disappoints as World Cup kicks off.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Gas prices will probably go up this summer

The May CPI report dropped Wednesday and it’s a doozy: Inflation rose 4.2% over the last 12 months. This means wallet pressure is bearing down on consumers, as wage growth lags behind price growth. On the other hand, the CPI report includes signals that inflation may have reached its peak. In this episode, an optimist’s and pessimist’s reading of the latest inflation data. Plus: Slowing immigration will have long-term effects on the U.S. economy, and summer camps shift to accommodate anxious teens.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

May CPI: glass half-empty, glass half-full

Bank of America advised investors late last week that too many red flags pointed to a market peak, and that it was time to “take profits.” In plain English? The stock market could see a downward turn soon, so it may be time to sell. In this episode, why tell investors to sell? Plus: Ongoing war in Iran strengthens oil and gas outlooks, we check in on foreign trade zones operating under new Trump-era rules, and packaged food brands face myriad potential headwinds.Every story has an economic angle. Want some in your inbox? Subscribe to our daily or weekly newsletter.Marketplace is more than a radio show. Check out our original reporting and financial literacy content at marketplace.org — and consider making an investment in our future.

Why did BoA tell investors to "take profits"?

Every weekday, host Kai Ryssdal helps you make sense of the day's business and economic news — no econ degree or finance background required. "Marketplace" takes you beyond the numbers, bringing you context. Our team of reporters all over the world speak with CEOs, policymakers and regular people just trying to get by.

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